PRC EFFORTS TO PROMOTE GSI ABROAD
PRC state-run media outlets publish multiple articles daily aimed at promoting the GSI abroad, including in English, Spanish, French, Russian, and other languages. These reports frequently quote local voices as well as current and former PRC and non-PRC government officials expressing support for GSI. Additionally, PRC diplomats publish “signed articles,” promoting GSI in local newspapers all around the world. While some foreign-language PRC media reports and “signed articles” are tailored to local audiences, most reports emphasize four key themes: (1) GSI promotes world peace and shared prosperity; (2) the West’s security framework is based on a hegemonic, Cold-War mindset that leads to crises; (3) The “International Community” supports GSI, especially in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, parts of Asia; and (4) GSI represents “true multilateralism.” Although these reports state that GSI “seeks concrete actions and tangible results” they do not articulate a framework, mechanisms, list of “signatories,” or other specifics about how and what GSI would do.
Military Diplomacy. The PRC’s willingness to engage in military diplomacy with other countries varies considerably based on its perception of a country’s adherence to the PRC’s diplomatic framework. For example, the PRC’s “comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination” with Russia entails a relatively high degree of military cooperation. Sino-Russian military cooperation occurs in practical forms through exchanges of training, equipment, technology, high-level visits, and other coordination mechanisms. For other strategic partnership countries, the PRC seeks to leverage those relationships to reinforce the PRC’s systemic preferences and maintain stability in Beijing’s favor. For countries with whom the PRC has not established strategic partnerships, such as the United States, the PRC shapes its military cooperation along more minimalist principles of conflict avoidance that emphasize “non-conflict” and “mutual respect.” From the PRC’s perspective, these curtailed relationships at least serve its foreign policy objective by ensuring stable relations with major powers.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic continued to constrain PRC’s military diplomacy in 2022, the PLA increased its external, in-person high-level military visits compared to 2021 and maintained close contact with the military leadership of neighboring countries. The PLA also relied on high-level virtual bilateral meetings and multilateral engagements to supplement cancelled engagements and maintain contacts with foreign militaries.
PRC Policy Towards the Pacific Islands. Since 2015, the PRC probably has viewed economic, political, and policing engagement with the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) as an opportunity to expand the PRC’s regional influence, press countries to switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing, deepen security cooperation, and advance the PRC’s responsible great power narrative. Of note, in late May and early June 2022, then PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi traveled to seven PICs, including Fiji and the Solomon Islands, and sought to promote the expansion of Sino-PICs relations. During his visits, Wang emphasized that the PRC would continue to pursue a “four
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China
